Ecuador, facing police revolt, censors news coverage

New York, October 1,
2010--As a police rebellion threw Ecuador into chaos on Thursday, the government
of President Rafael Correa ordered local radio and TV stations to interrupt
programming and carry state news broadcasts. A dozen reporters were injured covering
the police revolt. Today, the Committee to Protect Journalists condemned the
government's censorship of broadcast media and called on local authorities to
investigate and prosecute those responsible for attacks on journalists.

On Thursday, hundreds of officers took over police barracks
across the country, protesting legislation passed a day earlier that cuts some
of their benefits, international and local media reported. The government
declared a state of emergency, and the Communications Ministry sent a directive
ordering local radio and TV stations to broadcast programming from Ecuador TV, a
state-owned channel.

National broadcasters Ecuavisa, Teleamazonas, and Canal Uno interrupted
their regular programming around 2 p.m., switching to the official Ecuador TV broadcast,
journalists said. Ecuador TV covered the events from the government's
perspective, interviewing an array of high-ranking officials, local journalists
told CPJ. The ministry lifted its order around 8 p.m., and broadcasters
returned to their own programming soon after, journalists said.

The ministry's order, which was reviewed by CPJ, is based on
Ecuadoran broadcast legislation authorizing the president and members of his
government to interrupt programming in order to broadcast official messages. But
neither Correa nor the government broadcast official messages, according to
local news accounts. The order instead cut off independent media coverage,
preventing citizens from receiving balanced information at the most critical time,
Ecuavisa's regional editor in chief Freddy Barros told CPJ.

Rebel officers broke into the facilities of Ecuador TV
around 6.30 p.m., and tried to interrupt the official programming, the news
agency EFE reported. A group of citizens also gathered at the premises of
state-owned station to protest the government's order, according to the
Guayaquil-based daily El Universo.

"We are concerned by the violence unleashed against
journalists covering this unrest and call on the authorities to bring those
responsible to justice," said CPJ Deputy Director Robert Mahoney. "We are also
alarmed by the government's use of emergency powers to order broadcasters to
carry programming only from the state-owned channel. This deprived the public
of a choice of news coverage at a critical moment."

At least 22 reporters and photojournalists were attacked,
threatened, or harassed as they covered the police rebellion across the country,
according to the Quito-based group press freedom group Fundamedios. Striking
officers reportedly hit, and threw tear gas canisters at local and
international reporters. They also burned and illegally confiscated
journalists' equipment, Fundamedios said.

The chaos reached its gravest point as rebel officers shoved
tear gas cans and bottles of water at Correa when he tried to speak at a police
barracks in Quito. Correa was reportedly taken to a hospital because of the
effects of the gas. Strikers at the health center prevented him from leaving for
11 hours, Ecuadoran news media reported. The military broke into the hospital
and freed the president around 9 p.m., El
Universo said.

Correa accused the striking officers of a coup attempt, and
promised to investigate and prosecute all those behind the rebellion. News reports
said two people were killed during the revolt.